Ball bearings as embodiments of a rolling element bearing have, in many constructions, an inner and an outer ring between which balls are arranged as rolling elements. Through the relative rotation of the inner and the outer rings, the balls run over raceways of the rings and thus allow a relative rotation of the constructions connected to the rings.
To keep friction losses low and simultaneously increase the service life of the ball bearings, these are usually lubricated with a lubricant. One possible variant of lubrication is lifetime lubrication, wherein the rolling element bearing is provided with a lubricant reservoir that is dimensioned in volume so that it is sufficient for the service life of the rolling element bearing. One challenge from this arrangement is to prevent the lubricant from settling in regions within the rolling element bearing that do not need lubrication, wherein this would thus cause other regions that require lubrication to not be properly supplied. In light of these conditions, cages have been designed in ball bearings that guide the rolling elements so that these support the flow of lubricant.
Publication DE 10 2008 059 571 A1 that forms the closest prior art relates to a rolling bearing with an inner ring, an outer ring, rolling elements that are arranged between the rings, and a cage device with windows in which the rolling elements are arranged and hold the rolling elements at least in some sections with a bordering wrap-around wall. In the publication it is proposed that each wrap-around wall forms, in an area passing through the ball center track, a support surface defined by a left lubricant flow-through channel and a right lubricant flow-through channel. Through the lubricant flow-through channels it is achieved that an advantageous lubricant distribution to the load-bearing peripheral regions of the rolling elements is guaranteed.